Assessing Distraction Potential of Augmented Reality Head-Up Displays for Vehicle Drivers.

Objective:To develop a framework for quantifying the visual and cognitive distraction potential of augmented reality (AR) head-up displays (HUDs).Background:AR HUDs promise to be less distractive than traditional in-vehicle displays because they project information onto the driver’s forward-looking view of the road. However, AR graphics may direct the driver’s attention away from critical road elements. Moreover, current in-vehicle device assessment methods, which are based on eyes-off-road time measures, cannot capture this unique challenge.Method:This article proposes a new method for the assessment of AR HUDs by measuring driver gaze behavior, situation awareness, confidence, and workload. An experimental user study (n = 24) was conducted in a driving simulator to apply the proposed method for the assessment of two AR pedestrian collision warning (PCW) design alternatives.Results:Only one of the two tested AR interfaces improved driver awareness of pedestrians without visually and cognitively distracti...